Suction apparatus for textile-treatment water-jet beam

ABSTRACT

A suction apparatus for an elongated water beam that extends transversely to and directs a liquid jet at a longitudinally passing textile web. The apparatus has a suction chamber extending transversely of the web adjacent the jet and having a perforated lower wall, means for withdrawing air from inside the chamber and thereby aspirating spray from adjacent the jet through the perforated lower wall, and an air-displacement body inside the suction chamber oriented for generally uniform suction across the perforated lower wall. Thus uniform suction effect is guaranteed across the entire width and/or length of the perforated suction surface formed by the lower wall.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a water-jet beam for treating a textile web. More particularly this invention concerns a suction apparatus or chamber for such a beam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the manufacture of a textile web workpiece, e.g. woven, knitted, or nonwoven textile including felts and fleeces made of staple fibers, continuous filaments or cellulose fibers and even having multiple layers it is standard to use a water-jet treatment. Such textiles are typically treated by passing them over a support and directing high-pressure liquid jets at them from an overhead jet beam. A perforated suction surface provided below the jet beam aspirates the spray. A so-called suction chamber is provided between the jet beam and the workpiece to aspirate spray created by the process.

It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,457,335 to collect the liquid spraying against the water beam. Here the suction apparatus is located to the side of the water beam and extends along its entire length. A funnel-shaped slot formed at the edge of the water beam has a slot width of approximately 2 mm at its inner end. If a sufficiently strong vacuum is connected to the otherwise completely enclosed apparatus, all the droplets including any spray mist from the underside of the water beam can be aspirated safely from the goods being needled.

A water beam for the water needling of textiles is further known from WO 2001/040562 of Vuillaume that has a suction chamber attached to the water beam in an upper region and forming a groove adjacent the water jets, with a porous floor adjacent this groove. Thus spray is aspirated both through the groove and through the porous floor. Spray can only inadequately be removed with this apparatus. Furthermore, spray cannot be aspirated on the opposite side of the water jet.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved suction apparatus for a textile-treatment water-jet beam.

Another object is the provision of such an improved suction apparatus for textile-treatment water-jet beam that overcomes the above-given disadvantages, in particular that prevents the formation of droplets on the water beam commonly encountered until now.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A suction apparatus for an elongated water beam that extends transversely to and directs a liquid jet at a longitudinally passing textile web. The apparatus has according to the invention a suction chamber extending transversely of the web adjacent the jet and having a perforated lower wall, means for withdrawing air from inside the chamber and thereby aspirating spray from adjacent the jet through the perforated lower wall, and an air-displacement body inside the suction chamber oriented for generally uniform suction across the perforated lower wall. Thus uniform suction effect is guaranteed across the entire width and/or length of the perforated suction surface formed by the lower wall.

By providing the air-displacement body, air flow inside the suction chamber is adjusted as needed. Particular flexibility is achieved when the air-displacement body is adjustably mounted with respect to height and angle.

In this way, a substantially drip-free water beam is guaranteed across the entire width in a simple and cost-efficient manner, preventing drops from dripping onto the textile web, whether woven, knitted, or felted, which droplets may result in pollution and/or damage. The spray water and the water mist produced by the spraying action are collected with uniform suction power across the entire surface of a suction device, thus preventing the formation of drops on the water beam commonly encountered until now.

It is advantageous if the air-displacement body is located above the perforated suction surface, and in particular s above the portion of the suction surface having a relatively large open portion, and if it -constricts the perforated suction surface such that a maximum air current of, for example, 2 m/s is achieved on the outside of the perforated suction surface.

In a further embodiment of the invention, it is advantageous that the air-displacement body extends substantially across the entire width and/or length of the suction chamber and that the air-displacement body is a substantially rectangular element, particularly a box that extends at an angle in the direction of the suction chamber.

It is also advantageous when the air-displacement body has an lower surface that forms an angle ranging between 1° and 30°, particularly between 1° and 5°, in the longitudinal direction of the suction chamber with the lower wall thereof, the gap between the air-displacement body and the perforated suction surfaces becoming narrower away from the outlet port through which air is sucked from the chamber.

The air-displacement body according to the invention ends short of one end lateral wall of the chamber having the suction outlet. Since the gap between the air-displacement body and the perforated suction surface becomes narrower in the direction of the suction device, a varying suction effect can be prevented by one-ended suction.

Furthermore, it is advantageous that the suction surface be disposed at an angle and extends from an upper region adjacent the water beam and/or a drip edge to a lower region of the suction chamber. The spray water is discharged particularly effectively because it flows down along the inclined suction surface of the suction chamber water due to gravity and goes in the direction of the lower region of the suction surface and thus moves away from the water jet. For this purpose, the region of the suction chamber facing the water beam may also be configured without a drip edge.

To this end the perforated suction surface has orifices with varying cross-sectional surfaces. As a result, uniform suction pressure is guaranteed across the entire suction surface of the suction device. Starting from the drip edge downward, the cross-sectional surfaces of the orifices become increasingly larger. Alternately, starting from the drip edge, the cross-sectional surface, that is the total flow cross section, of the orifices becomes larger either continuously or in steps. It is also advantageous when the distance between the individual orifices is the same or different.

Furthermore, an angle is formed by a tangential line of a screen roller supporting the web and the perforated suction surface ranges between 5° and 25°, particularly between 6° and 15°, the orifices of the suction surfaces on the inner side facing a water beam constituting an open surface or flow cross section of approximately 3% to 8%, preferably 5%, and on the exterior side of approximately 10% to 25%, preferably 20% of the total surface area of the lower wall. Consequently, a stronger air current is achieved on the outer edge region of the suction surface than on the inner edge. The water drops migrating to the lower and hence outer region of the suction surface as a result of gravity are then suctioned into the interior of the suction chamber via the large orifices.

In a further embodiment of the invention, it is advantageous that an air feed device is associated with the water beam and/or the suction chamber, the device being provided with at least one outlet opening in the region of the water beam. In this way, the water jet is supplied with an additional and independent dry air current. In this process, the suction effect of the water jet traveling at up to 200 m/s is utilized. This jet no longer takes in the moist ambient air enriched with spray mist, but instead the dry air provided via the air feed device. As a result, the deflection of the water jet caused by minute water droplets in the air can be suppressed.

Furthermore, the air feed device has an air feed passage having a width measured parallel to the web-travel direction of 1 to 15 mm, preferably 3 to 10 mm and particularly 3 to 6 mm between an exterior side of the water stream and an exterior side of the suction chamber facing the water stream. In this particularly simple configuration of the air feed device, the air feed passage is formed by an air gap between the water beam and the suction chamber. For this, substantially no further component are required. The air feed passage, however, may also be formed by installed hoses.

In an advantageous embodiment of the air feed device, the air supply to the water jet can be such that the air feed device is associated with a fan to generate a slight overpressure. In this way, the dry air is actively supplied to the water jet and the air supply to the water jet does not take place exclusively by means of the suction effect of the water jet described above, but additionally by a small overpressure inside the air feed passage.

According to a further characteristic of the invention, the outlet opening of the air feed device extends substantially across the entire length of the water beam. In this way, it is guaranteed in a simple manner that the water jet is supplied with dry air across the entire length of the water beam and is not influenced by fine water droplets or spray mist.

In a further embodiment of the invention, it is advantageous that the outlet opening of the air feed device is oriented such that the air current strikes the water jet exiting from the water beam in a substantially perpendicular manner. In this way, the exiting water jet is focused in a simple manner and the spray water is directed towards the water beam.

It is furthermore advantageous that the air feed device or the air gap is provided at least in part between the water beam and the outlet opening of the suction chamber or that it is guided along the outside of the water beam and extends parallel to the same in the region of an underside of the water beam. The exiting water jet is focused with the help of the dry air current exiting from the air feed device in the region of the underside of the water beam. The guided air current is protected from spray water until the current exits since the air feed passage is delimited downward by the suction chamber.

According to a further development of the invention, it is also possible to dispose the suction chamber and/or the air feed device symmetrically on both sides of the water beam or the water jet. Spray water bouncing the textile web can thus be drawn off in the advancing direction of the textile after the water jet has made contact or optionally, as needed, also before contact with the water jet. Likewise, the independent supply of dry air may be carried out via the air feed device either upstream or downstream of the water jet. The configurations of the suction chamber as well as of the air feed device may be done independently of each other in arbitrary combinations. In this way, it is ensured that the spray water can be completely removed on both sides of the water jet, if necessary.

It is also advantageous that the orifices of the perforated suction surface on the interior side facing the water jet are preferably configured as parallel slots measuring between 1 mm and 10 mm in length and between 0.1 mm and 3 mm in width, the orifices provided on the exterior side of the perforated suction surface being preferably configured in an angle shape having a length between 1 mm and 10 mm and a width between 0.1 mm and 3 mm.

It is particularly advantageous when the orifices have cross-sectional surfaces with different shapes and are configured as oval, polygonal, angle-shaped or as elongated slots. Such a configuration and shape of the orifices guarantees that the drops are forced in the direction of the lower region of the suction surface as they migrate along the surface, pass the orifices and cannot easily bypass them. The angled orifices of the perforated suction surface in the region having a relatively large open surface are particularly effective for this process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a largely diagrammatic end view of the system of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional end view of the system of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along line III-III of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the floor of the suction chamber.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION

As seen in FIG. 1, water beam la emits a water jet 10 from a transversely extending row of unillustrated nozzle orifices and impinges upon a textile workpiece 2 that can be woven, knitted, or nonwoven and that is guided over a cylindrical support drum 13 of a perforated drum or perforated roller 14 a. Water is mostly removed by means of a water removal passage 12 of the perforated roller 14 a that opens centrally upward in line with the jet 10.

Adjacent the water beam la is a suction apparatus or suction chamber 5 a which has a sloping perforated suction surface 3 a, provided with openings 3 c on its lower wall 5 b so that the spray formed when the water jet 10 impinges on the textile workpiece 2 is pulled to the lower wall of the suction chamber 5 b and is then completely sucked from the suction chamber 5 a. Water droplets thus do not collect on the lower face of the water beam la and no longer drip onto the workpiece 2.

In this embodiment two such suction chambers 5 a are arranged symmetrically on both sides of the water beam 1 a, upstream and downstream relative to a workpiece travel direction D. A vacuum is created in the suction chamber 5 a by a pump 15 (FIG. 9) connected to the suction chamber 5 a via a suction hose 8 b.

FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of the suction chamber 5 a for the water beam la for jet treatment of a textile workpiece 2. It has perforated suction regions 3 a and 3 b on the lower wall 5 b of the suction chamber 5 a for the aspiration of spray. The perforated suction regions 3 a and 3 b are provided on an incline so that they extends from an upper edge 6 b close to the water beam la and/or a drip edge 6 a to a lower edge 6 c of the suction chamber 5 a remote from the jets 10. The first region 3 a of the perforated suction surface has a relatively small open area, that is ratio of area of openings to area of closed portions between the openings, while the second section 3 b of the perforated suction surface has a relatively large open/closed ratio, that is a greater portion of its overall surface area taken up by suction openings. In an embodiment not shown in the drawings the suction chamber can also be formed without the drip edge 6 a.

The openings 3 c in the perforated suction surface have a smaller area or flow cross-section in the region 3 a than the openings 3 c in the region 3 b. In this way, an approximately uniform suction pressure is generated on the inner upper side of the suction surface 3 a or 3 b so that spray impinging upon the textile workpiece 2 can easily be removed by suction. Water droplets flowing downward along the lower face of the floor 5 b as a result of gravity can be sucked completely into the suction chamber 5 a through the larger openings 3 c in the lower area of the suction surface 6 c.

The distance between the individual openings 3 c can be the same or different. The cross-sectional areas of the openings 3 c increase moving away from the drip edge 6 a toward the suction chamber 5 a or an outer wall 5 c of the suction chamber 5 a remote from the water beam la. To achieve this effect the cross-sectional areas of the openings 3 c beginning from the drip edge 6 a can become increasingly larger continuously or in uniform steps.

As can be seen from the second embodiment in FIG. 2, a horizontal tangent 14 b to the cylindrical outer surface of the upper part of the perforated roller 14 a forms an angle α with the lower surface of the suction surface 3 a and 3 b. The angle α can be between 5° and 25°, but preferably is between 6° and 15° The openings 3 c of the inner region 3 a closer to the water jet 10 of the water beam la account for an open area of about 3% to 8%, preferably 5% and on the outer region 3 b then form an open area of about 10% to 25%, preferably exactly or about 20%. According to FIG. 2, the suction chamber 5 a is located on the right-hand or upstream side of the water beam 1 a, and can be embodied as an approximately rectangular box to receive spray 4.

According to FIG. 2, the water beam 1 a and the suction chamber 5 a have an associated air supply with a blower 11 a whose output is connected to an air-supply passage 11 b which opens horizontally near the lower wall 1 b of the water beam 1 a at an outlet opening 11 c near the water jet 10. The air-supply passage 11 b is formed by a vertical outer side wall of the water beam 1 c and a vertical outer side wall 5 d of the suction chamber 5 a. For this purpose the air-supply passage 11 b runs approximately parallel to the outer side of the water beam 1 a and the lower wall 1 b of the water beam 1 a. The drip edge 6 a of the suction chamber 5 a is near the outlet opening 11 c of the air-supply passage 11 b. Only very fine water droplets can form at the drip edge 6 a, and they cannot cause any further damage when they fall downward.

Dry air passing through the air-supply passage 11 b of the air supply apparatus 11 a to the water jet 10 has the advantage that it does not influence the movement of the water jet 10. The water jet 10 is thus not influenced by very fine water droplets or mist and can in particular be projected onto the textile workpiece 2 in a focused manner. In this embodiment according to FIG. 2, dry air is pulled through the air-supply passage 11 b by the suction effect created by the water jet 10. It is also possible for dry air to be actively supplied to the water jet 10 by means of the blower 11 a, so that this blower is optional so long as some means is provided for moving air through the passage.

In FIG. 2 the air supply apparatus 11 a and the suction chamber 5 a are only located in the right-hand side of the water beam 1 a. However, as suggested by FIG. 1, the suction chamber 5 a can be arranged symmetrically on both sides of the water beam 1 a. The air supply apparatus 11 a can also be arranged symmetrically on both sides of the water beam 1 a.

The cross-sectional surface of the air feed device 11 a or air feed passage 11 b ranges between 3 and 15 mm, preferably between 5 and 10 mm, particularly between 7 and 8 mm.

The width of the air-supply passage 11 b is between 3 and 15 mm, preferably between 5 and 10 mm, especially between 7 and 8 mm. In this embodiment, the air-supply passage 11 b of the air supply apparatus 11 a is of a width of 1 to 15 mm, preferably 3 to 10 mm, and especially 3 and 6 mm between an outer face of the water beam 1 c and the confronting outer face of the wall 5 d of the suction chamber 5 a facing the water beam 1 a. In an embodiment not shown in the drawings, the air-supply passage 11 b can also be formed by hoses or similar air supply apparatus.

The outlet opening 11 c extends approximately over the entire length of the water beam 1 a. The outlet opening 11 c is further aligned so that the air jet emerging from it impinges approximately horizontally and perpendicularly on the vertical water jet 10 emerging from the water beam 1 a.

According to FIG. 4, the openings 3 c of the perforated suction surface on the side 3 a facing the water jet 10 can be embodied as elongated approximately parallel slots having a length between 1 mm and 10 mm and a width A between 0.1 mm and 3 mm. It is furthermore possible that the slots provided on the outer side 3 b of the perforated suction surface are preferably embodied as angular with a length between 1 mm and 10 mm and a width B between 0.1 mm and 3 mm. Depending on the embodiment, the slots can also have a linear or a corrugated profile, or even be chevron shaped. All these configurational variants of the openings 3 c have the purpose of receiving as efficiently as possible that water droplets of the spray 4 move along the perforated suction surface. They are also oriented to prevent droplets of spray 4 from running between the openings 3 c.

According to a further embodiment as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an air-displacement body 7 a can be provided in the suction chamber 5 a, which can have different shapes. According to FIGS. 2 and 3, the air-displacement body 7 a is hollow and is defined by two parallel end walls 7 c and 7 d. In the area of the suction regions 3 a and 3 b, a lower wall 7 b of the displacement body 7 a runs approximately parallel to the inner surface of the perforated suction regions 3 a and 3 b. Between the lower wall 7 b of the displacement body 7 a and the inner surface of the suction surface 3 a and 3 b is a small gap between 2 mm and 10 mm wide that ensures that a uniform suction pressure is achieved over the entire suction surface. The air-displacement body 7 a is located above the perforated suction regions 3 a and 3 b, especially above the suction surface provided with a relatively large open area 3 b so that the perforated suction regions 3 a and 3 b are constricted so that a maximum air flow of 2 m/s for example is achieved at the outer side of the perforated suction surface 3 b.

The air-displacement body 7 a advantageously extends over the entire length of the suction chamber 5 a. In order to achieve the greatest possible flexibility in adjusting the air flows inside the suction chamber 5 a, in a further advantageous embodiment not shown in the drawings the air-displacement body 7 a can be mounted so that its height and inclination can be varied.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, the lower wall 7 b of the displacement body 7 a extends in the same direction as the suction surface 3 a and 3 b and forms an angle θ between 5° and 30° therewith. As can be further seen from FIG. 3, the air-displacement body 7 a can also enclose an angle β with its lower wall 7 b toward the inner surface of the perforated suction regions 3 a and 3 b, this angle being between 1° and 30° or between 1° and 5°, the gap between the air-displacement body 7 a and the perforated suction regions 3 a and 3 b becoming narrower toward a suction outlet fitting 8 a. Located at one end of the suction chamber 5 a is the suction apparatus consisting of the fitting or connection 8 a and the suction hose 8 b, via which the spray received from the suction chamber 5 a is removed and the vacuum therein is produced by the blower 15. The interior of the suction chamber 5 a is accessible via an access door 9.

As can be seen from FIG. 3, the air-displacement body 7 a advantageously ends with its lower end adjacent the connection for the suction apparatus 8 a. 

1. A suction apparatus for an elongated water beam that extends transversely to and directs a liquid jet at a longitudinally passing textile web, the apparatus comprising: a suction chamber extending transversely of the web adjacent the jet and having a perforated lower wall; means for withdrawing air from inside the chamber and thereby aspirating spray from adjacent the jet through the perforated lower wall; and means including an air-displacement body inside the suction chamber oriented for generally uniform suction across the perforated lower wall.
 2. The suction apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the air-displacement body is spacedly juxtaposed above the lower wall of the chamber so as to produce a maximum air flow of about 2 m/s on a lower face of the lower wall.
 3. The suction apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein the air-displacement body has a lower surface extending at an acute angle to the lower wall.
 4. The suction apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein the air-displacement body extends over an entire length of the suction chamber.
 5. The suction apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein air is drawn from a longitudinal vent end of the suction chamber and the lower surface of the air-displacement body and the perforated lower wall converge away from the vent end.
 6. The suction apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein the lower surface and lower wall form an angle between 1° and 30°.
 7. The suction apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein the air-displacement body ends at a spacing from the vent end.
 8. The suction apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the perforated lower wall slopes downward away from an upper region close to the water beam and a lower region remote therefrom.
 9. The suction apparatus defined in claim 8 wherein the perforated lower wall is formed with an array of openings of different cross-sectional area.
 10. The suction apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein the cross-sectional areas of the openings increase away from the liquid jet.
 11. The suction apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein the cross-sectional areas of the openings increase continuously away from the liquid jet.
 12. The suction apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein the cross-sectional areas of the openings increase in steps from the liquid jet.
 13. The suction apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein a spacing between the openings varies away from the liquid jet.
 14. The suction apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein the lower wall forms with a horizontal plane tangent to the web where it is impinged by the jet an angle between 5° and 25°.
 15. The suction apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein the perforated lower wall is formed with an array of openings having a total surface area varying between about 25% at the upper region and 3% at the lower region.
 16. The suction apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising means forming a slot passage open adjacent the liquid jet for supplying air to immediately adjacent the liquid jet.
 17. The suction apparatus defined in claim 16 wherein the passage is formed by a wall of the water beam and a wall of the suction chamber and has a width between 1 mm and 15 mm.
 18. The suction apparatus defined in claim 16, further comprising a blower connected to the passage for forcing air thereinto.
 19. The suction apparatus defined in claim 16 wherein the passage extends a full length of the water beam.
 20. The suction apparatus defined in claim 16 wherein the passage has a slot outlet opening generally perpendicularly to the liquid jet.
 21. The suction apparatus defined in claim 16 wherein the passage is generally L-shaped, with a vertical leg between walls of the chamber and water beam and a horizontal leg underneath the water beam.
 22. The suction apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein two such suction chambers flank the liquid jet.
 23. The suction apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the perforated lower wall has openings between 0.1 mm and 3 mm wide and between 1 mm and 10 mm long. 